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Pioneering homes which aim to transform the lives of people with disabilities – including a washing machine that clean and irons clothes - are being launched today (Thursday 29 June) in Dundee by Minister of Local Government and Housing, Kevin Stewart.

Housing and care provider Blackwood has designed six hugely innovative homes that set a new standard of accessibility, with the help of technology and modern construction.

Max Brown, Chair of Blackwood, will welcome the Minister and accompany him on a tour of the new homes. Councillor Ken Lynn, Chair of Dundee’s Health and Social Care Partnership will also be present to welcome the contribution that these homes make to the city’s new plans to help people live independently.

Remap is a charity that provides custom-made equipment for disabled people of all ages, free of charge. Here’s news of some of their recent work.

Chloe is four years old and like many other little girls she loves horse riding and wants to ride alongside her big sister. However Chloe has cerebral palsy and cannot walk. She needs to improve her core strength if she is to ever walk and horse riding is a good way of achieving this, but somebody has to walk alongside her, supporting her as she rides.

When looking after a loved one’s health, caring for your own health can often take the back seat. Being a full or part time carer can be difficult for a number of reasons, including, but not limited to, a lack of sleep due to worry or long days, being unable to find the time to exercise or socialise yourself and focussing your time on ensuring your loved one is happy and healthy and therefore neglecting your physical and mental health.

‘Purple Match’ launched to bring individuals and carers together in perfect harmony.

Disability not-for-profit, Purple has launched a unique carer-matching service, Purple Match, to connect disabled people with carers based on their interests and hobbies.

The pairing site, which is the first of its kind in the UK, enables users to search for and select carers who are best suited to their needs as well as matching them with personality traits and interests. It is hoped this tailored approach will create stronger pairings and ultimately foster friendships between individuals and carers in the county.

For those suffering with the devastating and life changing impact of a spinal injury, there has never been a time with so much hope for spinal system repair and treatments. Recent medical advancements, compounded by technological developments, innovation and invention meanthat a cure for paralysis may soon be possible.

What is a spinal cord injury (SCI)?

Spinal cord injury (SCI) happens when the spinal cord becomes damaged by vertebrae fractures that crush or transect the spinal cord, often the result of injuries sustained from motoring accidents, falls, assaults or sporting accidents.

There are many reasons why people use mobility equipment, both in the short and long term, but one of the challenges we face as equipment specialists is helping people overcome the perceived stigma.

Despite an increase in the number of people publicly using mobility aids such as sticks, frames and scooters, people still feel uneasy when they are faced with the prospect of using mobility equipment themselves.

The reality of having equipment like stairlifts, through-floor lifts and ramps installed often leaves people feeling like they’re losing their independence – but the opposite is true.

Mobility equipment is designed to help people overcome physical challenges and regain the ability to do things under their own steam.

Kids love books, we love books and the CustomEyes teams at Guide Dogs is dedicated to ensuring that no vision impaired child is left behind when it comes to reading, whether for school or for pleasure.

Entrance door manufacturers Vista Panels Ltd recently teamed up with German lock experts Winkhaus to help a wheelchair user open his door from anywhere in his property via his smart phone.

Paul Allen had previously found it difficult to let in visitors without having to manoeuvre his wheelchair to the intercom system in his hallway. Paul wanted to use some of todays smart technology to find an alternative solution.

Inova Disability Sports Foundation (IDSF), who support disabled athletes around the world, has chosen to install Koller’s unique products to its ‘seated throw chairs’ used in sports like javelin and discus, bringing the frames up to the standards required by the International Paralympic Committee.

Koller, specialists in the design and manufacture of wheelchair accessible vehicle products, was chosen as the preferred supplier by IDSF head coach, Malcolm Wallace. “When IDSF took the decision to launch a new seated throwing chair I was given the responsibility due in part to my experience as a Paralympic coach and a field official of many years standing.

CECOPS Code of Practice for Disability Equipment, Wheelchair and Seating Services is a quality standard created for in-house and contracted-out Wheelchair industry, where existing standards fall short in many key areas.

AJM Healthcare is the first company to attain CECOPS accreditation for its North West London Wheelchair Service covering a population of two million. CECOPS certificates were issued to AJM for each of the six NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) that make up the service.

Gaining CECOPS Accreditation also evidences our compliance with the aims of the Wheelchair Charter that CCGs are expected to work to.

Electricity firm, UK Power Networks, is urging people with breathing difficulties to sign up to a confidential register to receive free support during power cuts.

During Breathe Easy Week (June 12-16) the company is raising awareness of the additional help available to customers with breathing conditions when they join the Priority Services Register, which offers help to vulnerable customers during power cuts.

This year's World Continence Week is June 19-25. The theme, Incontinence: No laughing matter, tackles a common response by people to laugh off incontinence, accepting it as an inevitable part of childbirth or ageing, not a health issue requiring specialist treatment.

With a staggering 14 million people a year in the UK suffering from bladder and bowel conditions, spread the word, reduce the stigma, know that you are not alone and know that there are things you can do to improve the condition.

Bladder and bowel control problems can be treated, better managed and even cured.

According to Action On Hearing Loss, there are over 900,000 people living in the UK who are severely or profoundly deaf, and for many isolation is just a normal part of everyday life. Raising awareness about the deaf community and culture has never been a more pressing issue. Medical reports predict that the number of people suffering from hearing loss will grow to 15.6 million by 2035; a figure that will no doubt continue to rise as the damaging effects of noise pollution from today’s digital devices begin to materialise. So, how do we prepare for the future and work towards creating a more inclusive society for the hard of hearing?

Mencap is the leading voice of learning disability. Everything they do is about valuing and supporting people with a learning disability, and their families and carers.

Their vision is a world where people with a learning disability are valued equally, listened to and included.

At Argos for Business we are always looking to assist charities in providing essential items for those in need, and our latest project has seen us join forces with Mencap to do exactly this.

Mencap wants to contribute to improving the quality of life for people with a learning disability, and to help them achieve this we have begun supplying the necessary products to help the people (and their families) who need them.

National charity Limbcare, which supports amputees across the UK, is celebrating seven years of helping amputees, the limb impaired and their families to cope with their life changing circumstances. During its lifetime, Limbcare has raised over £400,000 and dealt with enquiries as far afield as America, Africa and Australia. It has helped well over 1,000 people deal with their changing circumstances. Limbcare provides support with everything from personal issues to how to access benefits, home adaptation advice, mobility advice and gives emotional support to those going through this life changing experience. But despite everything that has been achieved, there is still so much more to do.

A Hampshire equestrian centre has become the latest riding establishment to sign up to a national scheme to encourage more disabled people to take up riding.

Russells Equestrian Centre based in Eastleigh is honoured to have met the criteria set out by Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA), to gain their Accessibility Mark accreditation.

Riding for the Disabled Association, in partnership with the British Equestrian Federation’s participation programme, launched the revolutionary Accessibility Mark scheme with the aim of getting more disabled people to participate in riding.

A visually impaired man has found himself the victim of discrimination when he asked his local authority if he could vote at the General Election on June 8th in the same way that everyone else can.

When Daniel Williams, 25, enquired at Cardiff City Council, if he could have a large print ballot paper, he was informed that this was not possible due to ‘legislative reasons’. No alternative was suggested.

Mr Williams was then told by the Electoral Commission that there would be ‘an example’ in a large print format at the polling station ‘for reference only’. He would still have to place his cross on an original size ballot paper.

North West charity the Together Trust has joined the Disabled Children’s Partnership to work with like minded organisations to improve health and social care services.

The Disabled Children’s Partnership is a group of disability and children’s charities, which was formed in 2015 and is the successor of the Every Disabled Child Matters campaign (EDCM).

This year the partnership will be working with young people and their families to start a new public facing campaign in England.

Children and young people across England are facing a critical time in terms of the support services they receive as the general election approaches and a new government is elected with a new manifesto.

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U Can 2 Magazine would like to thank the advertisers that appear in this publication for their support and wish them continued success.U Can 2 is an independent publication and has no affiliation with any other organisation. The views expressed in U Can 2 do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher E.A.L. and its employees. Similarly the efficacy of any products and services featured are the sole responsibility of the supplier/manufacturer.